Ella Fitzgerald, Donny Hathaway, Mahalia Jackson, Bernard Purdie, Aretha Franklin, Bobby McFerrin, Coke Escovedo, Ray Obiedo, Andy Bey, Mike Clarke, James Brown, Lenny White, Mongo Santamaria, John Santos, Led Zeppelin, Ron Stallings, Jeannie Tracy, Bianca Thornton, Chaka Kahn, Dave Goldblatt, Mary Watkins, Kathleen Battle, Dinah Washington, Jimi Hendrix, Wayne Shorter, Pete Escovedo, Rachelle Farrell
Sounds Like
Hopefully I've developed my own style after singing for over 40 years.
Linda's alto voice is, big, powerful and soulful to the max. She sings with the experience of a 40 year veteran and the intuition of a skilled craftswoman. At the age of 19, Tillery became lead singer of the Berkeley based soul/rock band Loading Zone and later appeared under the name of Sweet Linda Divine. Later she shared lead vocals as a member of the Zasu Pitts Memorial Orchestra and the Solid Senders (Monday night house band at Boz Scaggs’ club, Slim’s). Her first solo recording, Linda Tillery (1977), won a Bammy (Bay Area Music Award) for “Best Independently Produced Album” and Tillery was twice named “Outstanding Female Vocalist” at the Bay Area Jazz Awards (1983-1984). Other awards include: Oakland Business Award (2001 and 2003), BAM Magazine - Musician of the Year (1998) and San Francisco Chapter of NARAS, Governors Award (1998).
One of Linda's longest and most important musical associations was with Oakland guitarist, Ray Obiedo. From 1982 to 1989, Tillery and Obiedo worked togther as a duo and also in Obiedo's funk/soul band "Kick". Other Kick members included Marc and Paul van Wageningen (bass and drums) , percussionist Sheila Escovedo, Saxophonist Larry Schneider and keyboardist, Steve Carter.
In 1982, Linda began her explorations into vocal improvisation with Bobby Mcferrin as her vocal coach and was later a founding member of McFerrin’s vocal ensemble, Voicestra. With fellow Voicestra members Rachel Bagby, Nicolas Bearde, Joey Blake, Kirsten Falke, Raz Kennedy, Molly Holm, Sarah Jennison, Rhiannon and David Worm, she developed her improvisatory skills and gained a greater understanding of the potential of the human voice.
An articulate and provocative speaker, Linda has given lectures on the history of African-American Sacred and Secular music throughout Canada, Europe and the United States. For the Winter quarter of 2007, she was a resident artist at Stanford University and also co-led a residency with choreograper Joanna Haigood at Williams College that same year.
Linda has shared the stage with Bonnie Raitt, Carlos Santana, Taj Mahal, Sheila E., Kelly Joe Phelps, Vicki Randle, Narada Michael Walden, Mavis Staples, Ensemble Tartit, Regis Gizalvo, Eric Bibb, Pauline Oliveiros, Odetta, Richie Havens, Wilson Pickett, Rokia Traore, Giovanni Hidalgo, Arlo Guthrie, Boz Scaggs,Tom Scott, Danny Glover, Angela Davis, Alice Walker, ODC Dance Company, Tandy Beal Dance Company, Dimensions Dance Theater and Zaccho Dance Theater. She has also appeared on more than 70 recordings.
Linda is a long time friend of drummer Mike Clark and credits him with encouraging her to become a drummer. "I love working great drummers and I've been fortunate to share the stage and/or record with some great time keepers" - Harvey Mason, William Kennedy,
Jack de Johnette, Lenny White, Mike Clark, Giovanni Hidalgo, Narada Michael Walden, Gaylord Birch, Denny Carmassi, Paul van Wageningen, Herman Matthews, Coke Escovedo, Sheila E., Vince Lateano, Tony St. James, John Santos, John Paris, Kevin Hayes and Billy Johnson
Memberships: SAG, AFTRA, NARAS, AFofM Local 1000, ASCAP and the PERCUSSIVE SOCIETY.
Thanks Linda...let me know about getting some of that wonderful music that we talked about at the Dream Cafe. Hope that your summer has been treating well, and that you've been giving yourself lots of relaxation time. Hugs and blessings, Celeste
I just listening to "secrets" to. I am so happy to get your friendsship ! I LOVE your music much as well. You be one of my favorites !!! Thanks so lot !!! I AM HAPPY NOW. Take care over you. AND KEEP ON SINGING !!! Greeting from the Europan Alps.
Jon to Linda: Howdy from SF CA Linda, many thanks for the Add-On...long time since I saw you, right on! Everything's A-OK..I live in NYC and just did a gig with my neighb., your old tenor sax player Todd Anderson. We have one coming up on July 9th also. You can hear him *here: http://ascap. com/network/audioportraits/Jon_Hammond_Rent/ I'm on the radio in Bay Area every morning of the week 1550 AM KYOURADIO HammondCast Show, contact me and we can do a thing..just had Lydia Pense on, also Chico Hamilton, Lou Donaldson and many great musics/musicians..would be great to have you on. I'm going in to play a hospital gig right now, gotta' run, thanks Linda, all the best..blast from the Past! c u in a minute, Jon *My Theme song Linda "LATE RENT": .. *Member AFM Local 802, Local 6 / ASCAP Publisher **note: I'm playing Hammond org. backing Telma Hopkins on new Mike Myers Movie "The LOVE GURU" "Star Spangled Banner"..happy 4th o' july!
